The Silver Guardian Bk. 01 Ch. 07

By this time everyone had gathered around Ben and Dante to listen to what Dante had to say.

Dante shared the observations he had made as everyone was sparring and practicing, "You have to understand, I'm bigger and I have greater reach and power than anyone else here. That means I can engage quicker than anyone else. I may be huge, but as you will have noticed I'm not slow, and I've always focused on developing my speed and devastating striking power.

"When I'm able to combine both of these elements, I can typically end any confrontation in a matter of moments. That allows me to engage more enemies more quickly and thus take control of any battlefield I'm on. Also, I hide all my emotions. Notice that I fight with an blank mask on my face, meaning my opponents can't get a read on me, so they don't know what I'm going to do and can't effectively even lay out a strategy, let alone mount an effective defense. I grew up in war and it forged me into the most dangerous man I could become. This is what I do and what I was made to be, and this is my ethos. This also is what I freely offer to you, my brothers and sisters."

Odin had wound up standing next to Ben as Dante walked the Enforcers instant by instant through what had occurred during his brief fight.

When he'd wrapped up, Alpha Odin spoke, "We will finish evaluations in the next few days, but at this point they seem a bit pointless. We will all have much to learn from you Dante, and I will likely be pairing you with Ben and some of the Level 4's to improve the security and training of the Pack. It's obvious you have much to teach us to improve our effectiveness. Thank you for indulging us Dante, that was very educational."

***

Shortly before Ben and Dante had squared off, Odin had contacted his mate through the bond, explaining they were about to informally evaluate their newest Pack member and offering to project what he saw to her, so she could see too, as Madame Alpha of the Pack.

Victoria was in her suite in the Manor House with Lily, getting her ready for the ceremony that night. She turned to Lily and offered,"Dante is about to spar against Ben for an evaluation. Would you like me to project what your Father sees to you, so you can see as well?"

Lily's eyes lit up as she smiled, "Yes please, Mom, I haven't seen him fight yet, and I'm sure he'll be amazing!"

Victoria smiled indulgently to her daughter and projected what her mate was watching. A few moments later when the fight had ended so instantaneously and conclusively, Victoria could only stand in stunned silence at the remarkable display she had just witnessed. She looked at Lily, whose face and body were flooded with not only admiration but more obviously, almost uncontainable lust and desire for the mate who had impressed her so!

Lily spoke first, "He is so magnificent Momma, and I want him desperately! Just watching Dante do that to Ben almost brought me to climax! Did you feel that?"

"No sweetheart, he's your mate, not mine. I have however, become aroused when your Father has done something impressive. But that's normally something just between mates."

"That makes sense. But have you ever seen anyone like him before?"

Victoria shook her head slowly, "No baby, I haven't. And neither have your Father or the rest of the Pack. Your mate is unlike anything we've ever seen before, and he's going to turn this Pack on its ear! Luna has certainly blessed you with one of the most impressive men and wolves our kind has ever seen. You are very blessed, my daughter. But remember: everything that he is, is for you. All that he does, he does for you. All his skills, his strength and his love and devotion, he gives them all to you, and because of who you are, to the Pack as well. In time he will give all of these things to your little ones, and he will be the fiercest protector our kind has ever known.

"You, my dear, must live up to your end of that. To cope with a mate that special, you must become someone that special as well. You must be his equal, to love as fiercely as he does, to protect him as fiercely as he will you, and to be his sheath to soothe the pain of battle and protect the heart and soul that he has given fully to you.

"You must also guide him. His life so far without you has been rudderless except for what small extent his wolf was able to guide him in his unknowing search to find you. Had he not found you, such a man could eventually start conflicts, be driven to conquest in a blind quest for power. But now he has your wisdom and instincts to guide him. You have his trust and he can become a finely tuned instrument and a great benefit to the Pack and perhaps to all lycans where he wields this power with wisdom and temperance from your guidance. You must not only succor him and help him to heal when necessary, but also fine tune your own instincts, perceptions and goals, to guide him well, just as I have always strived to do for Odin."

Lily sobered, realizing her Mother was right, and she resolved to become a mate worthy of her Dante. "You're right, Mother, he deserves so much, and I will be that for him. I will stand by him always, guide and protect him and be the sheath against his pain. I will stand beside him, not behind him, as we lead together."

Victoria smiled maternally at her daughter, "I know you will baby, I have complete confidence in you. Treat him right Lily, he is something special and something our Pack and likely the rest of the lycan world has never seen before. You will both accomplish great things, of that I have no doubt."

Lily hugged her mother, as she knew in her heart that her future would be a special one with Dante by her side.

***